Without You
by letsxgetxrecklessx
Summary: Richard Grayson has it all. Money, fame, and a bright future. But then he meets Kori Anders, an exotic dancer struggling just to get by with an addiction that make her hit rock bottom. Can he save her? Or will he watch her circle the drain helplessly?
1. Center of Attention

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Teen Titans.**

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><p><em>My name's Richard Grayson. I'm 24 years old and I had the world right outside my window. I had everything I needed to have the life everyone dreamed of. I'm the adoptive son of Bruce Wayne, owner of Wayne Enterprise. In just a few years, I would be inheriting the company so Bruce could retire. That's a long shot now. You're probably wondering how I ended up like this. How someone with a bright, successful future ended up here. It's time for me to share my story. Nothing censored. Every detail that makes me cringe and wish I had done something differently, anything. I'll skip straight to where it all began. The day Kori Anders strutted her way into my life.<em>

It was the first day of autumn and leaves were already dancing their way down from the trees here in Jump City. I was 22 at the time and didn't know half of what I know today. Chills raced across my skin as the wind blew while I ran my hand through my hair and walked into my buddy Victor's auto shop.

"Hey Rich man! Strange seeing you on time for anything, you ready to go meet up with Gar and Rachel?" Victor asked me. He was African American and tall, towering over most people at 6 foot 7. He was bald by choice and one of the most athletic people I have come to meet.

"I'm on time? Next time I'll have to pay attention to the time, wouldn't want to make a habit out of this or anything." I chuckled. We were meeting up with two of our other friends. The four of us have been like a family as long as I can remember. I can remember growing up with them and the countless summers we spent together, just the four of us. As we stepped out of my car and made our way towards the pizzeria where we usually ate to catch up Vic called out to what I presume was a friend of his.

"Now I know Miss Kori over there isn't pretending she doesn't see me!" Victor shouted.

I glanced over to where he was shouting and did a double take. Walking out of a strip club was a tall and tan girl, who I assumed was Kori. She had long red hair, somewhat waved, that reached halfway down her back. I looked a little closer and noticed her eyes. The most exotic and striking green eyes I have ever seen. Her skin looked flawless. She looked naturally tan, but she seemed a little pale. Her smile, if the sun wasn't out she'd be lighting up the whole city with it. Hold on did she just come out of a strip club?

"Victor!" Kori exclaimed. She ran towards us and Victor picked her up, swinging her around in one of his famous bear hugs. "I wasn't paying attention! Don't go thinking I was ignoring you now!" She finished while laughing. He placed her down on the ground carefully.

"Damn girl when was the last time you ate? You look like a walking skeleton!" Victor asked curiously. Now that I took a good look at her she did look thin, almost unhealthy. She was wearing an oversized white shirt with a simple black skirt that hugged her legs. On her legs were fishnet stockings with combat boots that reached up to her calves. She looked around a few times anxiously before answering.

"Oh you know the other day. I've been busy today, never got a chance to sit down and eat yet!" She spat out while she played with her auburn hair.

"Well little miss you're going to sit down with me and my friends to have a slice or two of pizza, got it?" He ordered her.

"Oh, I don't know I wouldn't want to intrude or anything." She said while pulling at the seam of her shirt.

"You're not intruding, I invited you. My friends won't mind, right Richard?" He looked towards me waiting for an answer.

"Not at all, the more the merrier." I responded coolly. She looked over at me. "I'm Richard by the way; it's nice to meet you." I smiled at her and went to shake her hand.

"Richard? Yeah, I see you in the tabloids quite a bit. I'm Kori; it's nice to meet you as well." She smiled as she reached out for my hand.

"Well now that everything is settled, you're coming with us Kori."

After about half an hour all the introductions were done with and the pizza had been served. Kori seemed to get along well with Gar and Rachel, and getting Rachel to talk to new people was near to impossible. She was fitting right in, like she had been a part of this family for years. Kori, Rachel, and Gar sat on side of the booth while Victor and I sat on the other.

"Dude how can you eat meat on your pizza and not feel guilty?" Gar started the typical of all typical Gar and Victor fights.

"You better keep your scrawny ass over there and mind your business Gar!" Victor shot back.

"I'm guessing Gar's a vegetarian?" Kori joined in the conversation.

"Not an ounce of meat in this body baby!" Gar gave her a toothy grin.

"That's why you look similar to a twig then?" Vic taunted him.

"Okay guys enough. Shouldn't we get to know Kori better instead of your every day fights?" I asked annoyed. Something intrigued me about this girl. I wanted to know more about her. She looked at me with those big green eyes and giggled.

"Oh there isn't anything interesting about me." She said shyly.

"I'm sure there's got to be something." I said while smiling at her.

"Yeah! Where do you work?" Gar asked. Victor silently laughed and Kori began to blush and looked around for an escape.

"Oh, uh you know." She said while looking at Victor.

"They're not going to judge you little sis. Kori's a dancer guys." Victor answered for her.

"Like a ballerina?" Rachel asked while taking another small bite of her pizza.

"Uh. No…more like…exotic dancer." Once Kori finished her sentence I choked on my drink.

"So you're a stripper?" Gar asked while raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's the only job I could get with my circumstances. Hey I've got to start heading home. Thank you for inviting me Victor. How much do I owe you?" She said awkwardly. I guess this answers my earlier question of why she was walking out of a strip club.

"Who do you think I am? You owe me nothing Kori. Please be safe, and don't be a stranger now. I expect to see more of you around, got that?" Victor sounded like a protective older brother to Kori. I wondered how he knew her and for how long. The relationship that linked them to each other seemed just that of a sibling relationship.

"You got it boss. I really do appreciate it. It was so good meeting you all. I hope to see you guys soon!" She flashed us a billion dollar smile and fled out of the booth like that.

"Guys, I have to go." I barely managed to finish my sentence by the time I was chasing after her. I swung the door opened and looked around. I caught a glimpse of red hair walking across the parking lot. I started jogging towards her.

"Hey! Wait up!" I shouted. She turned around and looked at me curiously with her hair blowing through the wind.

"What's _the_ Richard Grayson chasing after me for?" She asked with a playful look on her face as she continued to walk.

"And what's that supposed to mean might I ask?" I asked as I caught up to her.

"Oh nothing. Is there something you needed?" She asked.

"You said you've seen me in the tabloids before. I can guarantee you most of what's in there isn't true. And I was just wondering why you left so fast."

"I wanted to get home before it's dark and I've got quite a long walk ahead of me, sorry for running out like that." She giggled, but before I could answer there was a bright flash followed by many more. Paparazzi. _Damn it._ The bright flashes were followed by more than ten photographers hoarding around us.

"How are you this evening Richard?"

"Who's this?"

"Richard Grayson has a new girlfriend!"

They swarmed us with questions, none of which I had any intentions of answering. I looked over at Kori, she looked panicky and looked at me for help. I had to get her out of there before they squashed her.

"Come on guys, give her some space." I asked them as I pushed some of them away. I grabbed a hold of her arm and started pulling her towards my car.

"Let me get you out of here, I'll drive you home, no charge." I winked at her and she laughed.

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><p><strong>Well there's the first chapter! Please review and give any suggestions, give me inspiration Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up within a week or two and get this story on the road <strong>

**Peace & Love**


	2. Anywhere But Here

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans in any way, shape, or form.**

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><p>After Kori was fully in the passenger's seat I closed the car door for her and pushed past the photographers.<p>

"You guys can stay and take photos, but you're more than likely to end up getting run over." I said to them as I made my way to the driver's side. Once I was in my seat I noticed just how swarmed we really were. I turned the car on and slowly started to back up.

"Just ignore them; pretend you don't even see them." I told her while I smiled at her.

"Well now what are you going to do now that there's evidence that you've been in public with someone like me?" She teased me while sticking out her tongue playfully.

"Someone like you? What's wrong with you?" I asked curiously.

"You're a multi-millionaire with a higher status then the President of America. I'm a nobody who strips her clothes off just to pay the rent. Your reputation's going down once those photo's get leaked kiddo." She stated.

"I don't care about my reputation. And I'm not one to judge. You could ride on the back of a big smelly truck and collect garbage for all I care; I'd still like to be your friend. Hold up. You called me kiddo. I bet you're not even my age. How old are you anyway?" She looked like she was 17 and she threw the word kiddo at me. Unbelievable. I shook my head in amusement.

"Well then I guess I'll just have to take pleasure in my 15 minutes of fame then, won't I? I'm 19, not much younger than you!" She defended herself.

"I'm 21, that's two years older. And no talking back! Respect your elder's young lady!" I joked.

"Oh please! You don't even know where I live! Just go straight for about ten minutes and I will tell you where to turn." Right, I was taking her home. How could I forget? I guess if I ever wanted to find out more about her now was the time to ask.

"I hope you don't mind me asking. Back at the pizzeria, you said this was the only job you could get under your circumstances. What are your circumstances?" I asked, hoping not to intrude too much. I heard her sigh.

"I'm usually not so open about this Richard." She almost whispered. Clearly, it was a sensitive subject for her. She wasn't sure if she could trust me, I could sense it.

"You can trust me. I'm not going to judge you, or hold anything against you." I said while putting one of my hands on top of hers, glancing at her. She looked down at my hand, and waited a minute or so before moving her own.

"Two years ago my parents left. They just vanished, never came home from one of their many vacations. I was used to their absence, but they stopped paying the bills. Eventually the house faced foreclosure and the bank took it. I didn't have anywhere to go. I was homeless for maybe three months. Eventually I dropped out of high school so I could work to make more money for myself. I worked at a food store for a few months, but it just wasn't enough. Then the owner of Indulgence, where I work, offered me a job saying I could make more money in one night than I could here in one week. I wasn't too comfortable with the idea but what other choice did I have? So I've been working there for a year and a half, and here I am now." When she finished she turned her head towards the window and gazed outside.

"Kori. That's horrible. I don't even…I don't know what to say." I stammered. I hadn't expected her to say anything like that. Come to think of it, I don't even know what I was expecting. She turned to face me.

"Don't go feeling bad for me now okay? The last thing I want is a pity party. I'm happy, despite everything. I could have it worse." She said. How did she expect me not to feel bad? Homeless and neglected at 16, and becoming a stripper was the miraculous fix for her. Was that even legal? I don't know. We stayed silent for a few minutes.

"I've only known you for a few hours, but I know you deserve more. I want to help you." As quick as I said that she spat out a reply.

"I'm not some charity cause for you Richard Grayson. Helping some little girl out won't get you another magazine cover." I flinched at her venom filled words.

"Kori I'm not like that. You think you know me because you've read a few gossip magazines. You don't. I said I wouldn't judge you, could you give me a chance and not judge me?" I asked her. She inhaled sharply and I felt her tense up.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I don't know you. Turn left here please." I obeyed her directions and as we turned the corner I took a look at the view. This was probably one of the sketchiest neighborhoods I have ever been in. All the apartment buildings looked run down; some were even missing glass in the window frames. Trash cans were knocked onto the ground and there were even a few people outside smoking a blunt. This wasn't particularly the safest place for a girl like Kori. She wasn't that tall, I wouldn't say she was taller than five foot flat. And her weight? 95 pounds top.

"It's the house on the left corner." She said. I pointed to the house, and she nodded her head in agreement. I parked my car on the street corner. The house was four stories high and made of all brick. The stairs were pavement and covered with a maroon paint that was chipped in multiple places. The door was half way off of its hinge, making it unable to completely close.

"May I have the pleasure walking you up to your apartment Miss Anders?" I asked politely while I arched my eyebrows.

"I'd be honored, but this place is really embarrassing.." She began to say before I cut her off.

"Please. Don't be embarrassed. I'd like to get you up there safe and sound." She stared blankly at me as if she were in a deep thought. A moment later she nodded her head and unbuckled her seat belt. I quickly shot up and ran to the passenger's side. I opened the door and held out my hand for her.

"I see you're gentlemen huh?" She winked at me. My heart skipped a beat. What's happening to me? I'm supposed to be making HER feel like this, not the other way. She led me up four flights of concrete stairs painted with the same maroon color the stoop was outside. It was cold, freezing almost. She took her left shoe off and fumbled inside of it for something. She took out a key and held it up like she won a prize. She opened the door and welcomed me inside. When I entered, I was in a studio apartment. Everything was in one room and it was even colder in here. Doesn't this place have any heat? The wooden floors were worn out and the Dark blue walls were cracked and disfigured. There were few pieces of furniture and in the left corner there was a metal staircase that lead up to an opened bedroom.

"Well here we are my stunning living arrangements." Kori said embarrassed while scratching the back of her head.

"Kori please don't feel embarrassed, it's not bad at all." I told her, living about the last part. "Is it always this cold?" I finished.

"Oh no not usually but they turned the heat off, I don't know how long for though." She answered me while hugging herself. She was shivering. I took my jacket off and handed it to her.

"Here. Please, just take it. You're shivering." I told her while I helped her put my jacket on.

She thanked me and looked up at me. Her eyes so bright, but so hopeless. I haven't even known the girl for a day and I was already attached. Seeing her like this was heart wrenching. She needed to get out of here._ Anywhere but here_.

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><p><strong>Thank you so much to everyone that read and reviewed and put my story on their alert and favorite lists! You are so incredible Richard finally gets to know a little more about Kori! What he doesn't know is there's a lot more he's going to find out. Send in those reviews guys! They mean so much<strong>

**Peace & Love**


	3. More Than Meets The Eye

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Just so you don't think I was ignoring you, I tried to reply but the webpage said the link was outdated. Hopefully that gets fixed for this chapter. I hope you enjoy **

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><p>I was jolted out of a deep thought by a finger jabbing into my forearm.<p>

"Richard?" I heard a gentle voice and looked towards her.

"Yeah? Sorry. I zoned out for a second." I told her, hoping it was only a second.

"A second huh? It seemed like quite a few minutes to me." Kori said to me with a teasing look on her face. I looked around and once I caught sight of the window I noticed it was cracked. The sun was almost down and it seemed even colder than it was before.

"You know I'm truly kind of worn out and I'm starting to get a headache. I think I'm going to head to bed. I hope we can hang out with your friends again soon, I really had fun. You're all so nice. Plus if you don't leave before dark your pretty little car will end up vandalized or something of the sorts." Her choice of words and the innocence in her voice made me smile.

"It was a pleasure meeting you this evening Miss Anders. Like Vic said, don't be a stranger." I said while I kissed her hand. I looked up to see her grin while her cheeks turned to a shade of pink, close enough to red. She walked me to the door and opened it while I stepped out and turned to face her.

"I'll try not to be, but you better consider about what you're getting yourself into if you're going to be hanging out with me." I chuckled and shook my head.

"I thought we previously covered this topic Kori. I'll see you around." I said while making my way to the chipped concrete stairs.

"See you." She said while closing the door.

As I walked down the stairs I replayed the conversation in my mind.

_Plus if you don't leave before dark your pretty little car will end up vandalized or something of the sorts._

_Pretty little car._

_Vandalized._

SHIT. I went from a normal paced walk to a full on sprint down the three flights of stairs that led me to the front door. I swung the already half open door only to find on old bum with a thin metal bar halfway down my window trying to break into my brand new BMW.

"HEY!" I screamed at him. I must have startled him because he lost grip of the bar and my window shattered to pieces. Fucking prick.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" I yelled at him as I started to run towards him and my car. He ran faster than I thought he would and was already down the street by the time I reached my car. It took a few minutes to register in my mind that my window was broken. I opened the door and wiped all of the broken glass off of my seat. I sat down and slammed the door.

What the actual fuck?

xxxx

"Man, this will be easy to fix. All you need is a new window, nothing else was damaged." Vic said to me.

"Good. I'm trusting you with my baby Vic." I told him seriously.

"Like you can't afford 16 more of these! Do you mind explaining to me how this happened?" Victor asked me. I froze. I needed to come up with some bullshit story so he wouldn't find out I was at Kori's house.

"Oh, just some bum trying to break into my car." Shit, that wasn't a lie Richard, that actually happened.

"A Bum? Now I know this didn't happen anywhere near your house." Vic said while raising an eyebrow at me.

"Yeah. I mean no. Of course not. It was outside the pizza shop. Right." I said while scratching the back of my head nervously.

"Definitely not after you drove Kori home?" He inquired.

"Definitely not. Wait a second…how did you know…" I started to say before he cut me off.

"You're both all over the tabloids and the news boy blunder." Vic retorted as he smacked a newspaper in front of me. Sure enough he was right. Kori and I were on the cover of Jump City Weekly. I was pushing past the paparazzi while pulling Kori who had her head down and her hand covering her eyes. I guess she really didn't want anyone to see me with her. I quickly opened the magazine and flipped to the page my article was on.

_Jump City's own playboy Richard Grayson was seen with a mystery red-head last night after a get-together with a group of friends. Although the girls name is still unknown an inside source told us the two have been dating in secrecy for months and are very much in love. More information about Richard's unidentified girlfriend is soon to come._

Tabloids never cease to amaze me. It's incredible what they can come up with in just a mere twelve hours. I wonder if Kori had seen any of this yet. Victors booming voice interrupted my thoughts.

"So you're very much in love with the mystery red-head huh?" He saw an opportunity to poke fun at me and he wasted no time doing it.

"Head over heels, I don't know what to do with myself." I answered him sarcastically. We both laughed with each other and made as many jokes as we could think of for a few more minutes.

"So you really did drive her home didn't you?" Vic asked me.

"Yeah, I did. She shouldn't have to walk that far, or in that neighborhood." I replied. Victor stopped measuring the width of my window and placed the measuring tape gently on the floor.

"Rich? Man I can't tell you. I can't tell you how bad she's really got it. I worry about her every single day. I've seen her fall apart more times than I can count in the past two years. I know she's not safe in that piece of shit apartment. One day it's just going to cave in on her. I've offered her a place to stay but she won't accept. She thinks she has to do everything on her own."

I never heard Vic talk so seriously before. I could read the sadness in his eyes. I didn't know what to say. He walked over to the corner of the garage and sat down in a chair and put his head in his hands. I stayed quiet for a few minutes.

"How did you meet her?" I slowly walked towards him.

"I was driving home from the shop one night. It was pretty late, most likely close to midnight. Kori was walking home, I assume. She was holding her head on the sidewalk, which caught my attention. I slowed down a bit just as she started to fall. I pulled my truck to the side of the road and jumped out to help her. She thought I was trying to hurt her. It took me a few minutes to get her to calm down enough to get a name from her. Kori said she just had a bad headache and lost her balance and at that point I believed her. I took her to get a bite to eat and somehow I got her to trust me enough to drive her home. I'm sure you did the same thing I did when I realized where she lived. Walked her up and made sure no one was up there I mean. I don't even remember how I got her to stay in touch with me after that."

I absorbed in everything Vic told me. I looked around the garage and took a seat next to him. I sighed heavily. Maybe Kori was in a more of a bad position than I thought she was. Two years of not being able to eat regularly and healthy had to have taken a toll on her. You could see the effect it has taken on her just by looking at her. She had bags under her eyes and let's not forget how thin she was.

"There's got to be something we could do to help her Vic. Anything." I said quietly.

"She's too independent. I told you, she's convinced she's got to do everything by herself. Good luck trying to change her mind." Vic chuckled.

"But the way she looked at me last night, she looked so desperate. Then she asked me to leave." I said while getting up. I started walking the length of my car, back and forth.

"That's because she knew you saw her vulnerable for a few seconds. She wanted you out of there so she could regain her composure. Trust me when I say I'm doing all I can, more like all she will let me do. I make sure she eats whenever I see her." Vic told me.

That's all that he could do? I'm going to do more than make sure she gets to eat. Both of our heads turned to the door to the office as we heard the front door open.

"Victor? Are you in here?" It was Kori, I could tell by her voice. Victor and I both dashed to the door to enter the office. Vic, being four inches taller than me and probably twice my size, pushed me out of the way to get through the door first.

"Kori! Did you get home safely last night?" He winked at her as I came through the door, recovering from Vic's push. She looked at me immediately and smiled.

"I did actually, thanks to Richard. Although I did get stepped on by a few paparazzi Richard did make sure I made it up to my apartment safely. I think I forgot to say thank you didn't I? Well, thank you Richard." She said while smiling at me.

"Really, it was my pleasure. I have exciting news for you. You made your first magazine cover in less than twelve hours of being seen with me." I said as I passed Jump City Weekly to her.

"This is unreal!" She busted out in a fit of giggles while flipping through the pages. Vic and I smiled at each other while waiting for her reaction while she read the news article.

"Ah, I see I'm going to have some detectives following me around for information huh?" Kori said while handing the magazine back to me.

"Just ignore them, and don't answer any questions if they ask any. You have a very exciting week of paparazzi ahead of you Miss Anders." I informed her. Her blissful laughter filled the air while she glanced out of the window.

"Well I think it's time I head on down to work. I just wanted to stop by and make sure my big brother over here wasn't worrying about me too much!" Kori said as she ran over and gave Victor a hug.

"But Kori it's only noon you work at night…"Victor started to say but she was already half way out the door.

"I'll see you later my long time love!" She giggled at me while winking.

"And there she goes." Vic said while rolling his eyes.

"Does she always rush out like that?" I asked him. He chuckled.

"Well man I'm going to get started on that window of yours so you could have your precious little car back in a few hours. Make yourself comfortable out here." Vic said while he stepped out into the garage.

While I waited for Victor to finish fixing my window my thoughts wandered onto Kori. Why does she always leave in a hurry? Where was she going if she works at night? I got up from my seat and was pacing back and forth when I looked out the window. I caught a glimpse of Kori in the corner of the parking lot with some guy. My blood started to boil.

Wait a second. Am I jealous? Richard Grayson _never_ gets jealous. What has this girl done to me, besides knock the breath out of me when she first looked at me?

I stared at the two of them intently. They looked like they were done with their conversation and they were just about to leave each other. He reached out for her hand and she did the same for his. As they shook hands it looked as if they were exchanging something. As their hands slipped away from each other he turned and walked away. Kori did a quick glance across the parking lot and shoved something in her shoe.

Something crept into my mind and told my Kori had more problems than I thought she did.

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><p><strong>Well well well! Suspenseful ending? I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and hopefully I will be able to respond to your reviews!<strong>

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**What do you think Kori is up to?**

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	4. Keep the Change, You Filthy Animal

**Hey guys! Sorry I took so long updating; I graduated from high school a few weeks ago and my niece and nephew are living with us for the summer, so they've been consuming a lot of my time. No reviews? :( I hope you guys are at least reading! Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

_Time is a funny thing. Sometimes it flies by way to fast, too fast to notice. Other times, times similar to now, it drags on and on and on. I've lost track of how long it's been. Weeks, months, years? Perhaps it's been a century. However long it's been, it doesn't matter. It does not, and never will, compare to the permanent hole in my chest. Nothing will ever compare to the sting I feel every time I breathe. In and out, in and out, in and out…_

Weeks passed before I saw Kori again. I was scheming and plotting all sorts of different ways to "accidentally" run into her. In the midst of all my scheming I jumped at the sound of my cell phone ringing. Where was that thing anyway? I caught sight of it lying on the kitchen counter. I picked it up and read the caller I.D. only to find Vic was calling me.

"Hey bro" I said to the receiver.

"Hey, remember me?" Wait a second. Vic doesn't sound like a girl.

"Kori? Does Vic know you have his phone?" I asked. I guess she doesn't have a phone of her own. Wait a second why was she calling me? Why did she want to call me?

"Yes he does, it's a miracle he's letting it out of his hands for more than a minute. Anyways, Vic invited me for pizza with him and your other friends. He gave me the pleasure of inviting you, and I figured I'd give you a call since you seemed to have forgotten I exist already." She said with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Shit. She thought I forgot about her already. Way to go Dickhead Grayson.

"I didn't forget about you, not that quickly. And yeah, I'll meet you guys there. Unless you need a ride? Do you need a ride?" I'm pretty sure I didn't breathe in-between any of that. Come on Grayson, get your shit together.

"Nope, not me! I'm with Vic, we're going to head over in fifteen minutes. Hurry up! I'm not a patient person if you haven't already noticed." Kori giggled. I felt a smile creep across my face.

"Sure thing, Kor. I'll be there in ten." The drive over should be interesting considering I live at least twenty minutes away from the pizza place.

"Don't keep us waiting!" She said before she hung up. What a character. I guess if I wanted to get there anywhere near ten minutes I should get a move on it.

xxxx

I made it with an adequate amount of time to slow down a block away and pull up slowly so it didn't seem like I ran over in a rush. I could see the gang waiting for me by the entry. Gar seemed to take a jump start and get on Rachel's nerves before we even sat down. Vic along with Kori just watched on the sidelines while laughing. I made my way out into the night and greeted everybody.

"It's about damn time man; I was getting sick of listening to Gar whine like a twelve year old girl." Vic said to me as we walked in.

"Does he do anything else?" I responded sarcastically. I looked over at Kori and I immediately smiled. She gave me the brightest smile, I swear it light the entire room up. She's got me hook, line, and sinker.

"Kori? Come here, I'd like to talk to you for a second" I said to her. I didn't look at the others, I already knew the faces they'd be making at me and the sound effects were more than enough.

"I'm good with taking directions, what did you want to talk about?" She said as we stayed by the entrance as the others made their way to the table.

"About what you said before, I uh…I didn't forget about you. It's just, I don't have your number and I didn't want to show up at your apartment unexpected. I didn't know where else to find you." I said nervously while I scratched the back of my head.

"Richard, I was just kidding about that. I didn't expect you to speak to me after getting caught with me in public. I figured maybe you took my advice and thinking about what you're getting yourself into…" She said quietly as she stood before me, no longer seeming like the confident woman I had met a few weeks ago.

"What exactly does that mean?" I asked her. She looked around the room and she became noticeably nervous. Before I knew it she was tugging me back to the table.

"Whoa, for someone so tiny you sure can pull an arm off." I told her while she scurried into the booth.

"Yeah sorry! I'm just…hungry? Yeah, hungry. I haven't eaten all day." She said while picked up a menu and hid behind it.

"Not again." Vic looked at her with disappointment on his face. Kori carefully looked at him and then went back to hiding behind her menu.

"I'm sorry Vic." Kori spoke softly. What was up with this girl? I silently sat myself next to her and picked up own menu up. Within five minutes our order was placed and we were all talking, laughing, and enjoying each others company. Kori still seemed a little jittery and was slouching in her seat. I lightly hit her foot with mine and she looked up at me and I gave her a reassuring smile trying to tell her that whatever was going on in that pretty little head of hers was going to be okay.

"Kori, I've been looking for you the past few days." A voice boomed. I looked up and saw the same guy Kori was in the parking lot with at Vic's shop. This couldn't be anything good.

"I've been busy, sorry." Kori answered him as she scooted closer to me. She was scared of him, I could tell. He looked like a sketchy person, just by his appearance. He was average height, maybe 5'7. His brown hair was messy and he had piercing brown eyes. Dark circles had a permanent spot under his eyes and his beard looked past the stubble stage.

"I think you need to come outside with me, so we could go over some things." Every time he spoke Kori began to shake a little more, like his voice was straight out of a nightmare you couldn't wake up from. She was staring at her hands placed on the table.

"Okay." She said without looking up. She carefully snuck past me and out of the booth. I didn't like the vibe I got from this guy, and I definitely did NOT want Kori out of my sight while she was with him. I looked at the others and noticed they all had worried expressions on their faces.

"What do you think he's saying to her?" Gar broke the silence.

"I don't know, but he's got two minutes and then I'm going to get her. I don't trust him." I answered him while staring at the door Kori walked out a few seconds ago.

"Man, that guy is bad news. He's done nothing but bring her down. She's already six feet under, she doesn't need his help." Vic joined in, his voice much softer than I've ever heard. I looked directly at him.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. Vic stared at me in silence. I waited for an answer. A few minutes passed before I got a response.

"Rich, I think it's better you hear it from her. It's not my place to tell you, or anybody for that matter." He told me.

"Victor just tell me what's going on, what's with all the secrets?" I told him impatiently. Before he could give me an answer a piercing noise filled the entire place followed by a scream. Was that a gunshot?

I shot out of my seat and ran towards the door with the others not too far behind me. I swung the door open and frantically searched the parking lot for Kori and that creep. I didn't see them anywhere.

"The alley across the street! He's not stupid enough to use a gun in the middle of a parking lot!" Vic yelled at us. I sprinted, faster than I ever have before. I had to get to Kori before it was too late, or was it already too late? We reached the alley and what I saw made my blood boil.

He had his one arm wrapped around Kori's neck keeping her from running away from him while the other held a gun to her head.

"LET HER GO!" I yelled. Kori had fear all over her face and looked paler than I remembered. Standing twenty feet away from her you could still see her body shaking with horror.

"RICHARD!" Kori half screamed, her voice sounded hoarse.

"I see we have an audience now. This isn't a fucking show. I thought you said they wouldn't come looking for you?" The man said with rage dripping from his voice.

"What do you want from her?" I shouted. I took a few more steps closer to them. I had to get her out of there before he killed her. Once he noticed I was getting closer he tightened his hold on her and Kori whimpered once again. I stopped in my tracks.

"HEY! Stop! Come one foot closer and I'll pull the trigger. I SWEAR I WILL!" He screamed. Kori clamped her eyes shut and held her breath.

"ALRIGHT! Calm down. Why are you doing this?" I asked calmly, trying to get him to relax. Everyone was frozen in their spots.

"This bitch owes me money. She shoots up more than she can pay for. I've waited long enough. She can't pay me my money then she can pay with her life" He spat. If there was any doubt in my mind that Kori was a druggie, it sure as hell wasn't there now. Kori slightly squirmed; he was making it harder for her to breathe. In one swift move he raised the gun to the dark sky and pulled the trigger. The noise made every one of us jump.

"STOP MOVING YOU FILTHY SLUT" He screamed, and I cringed.

"How much does she owe you?" I asked, not taking my eyes away from Kori. Tears were silently falling freely from her eyes.

"What?" He asked.

"How much does she owe you? I'll pay. Just tell me how much." I asked as I pulled my wallet out of my pocket to assure him I was being serious. He looked at me for a moment and then at Vic.

"He's not lying to you X" Vic said sternly. X? What kind of name was that?

"Fifty. Fifty dollars." He told me. I opened my wallet and pulled fifty dollars out and held it up for him to see.

"I'm going to put this down and you can take it, but you need to give Kori back to me." I bargained with him. "You have to give her back to me unharmed."

"She's not yours. If I can't have her no one can." He laughed menacingly. I sighed.

"Don't you want your money?" I asked him one more time.

"Put it down." He said. I took two steps and placed the money on the ground and backed up. X looked at the money and then at me. He did this a few times and looked down at Kori. Pushing Kori along with him, he slowly started to step towards the money. In a split second he pushed Kori, sending her flying into me and was halfway down the alley with the money before I could blink. My arms instinctively wrapped themselves around Kori's petite frame. The silent tears falling from her face just minutes before were now full on sobs. She sank to the ground and I pulled her into my lap. She buried her face into my chest while I whispered in her ear telling her she was okay.

"I won't let you get hurt; no one's taking you from me." Okay Kori, maybe I don't quite know what I'm getting myself into. Oh well, it was too late to turn back now.

**POLL:**

**What do you think is going to happen next?**

**What would you like to see happen next?**

**Do you think Richard will still want to be with Kori after this?**

**Reviews please! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter; I was very excited for this part to come!**

**Peace & Love**


	5. Unforgivable

**Hey guys! Thank you SO much for the reviews! They motivate me so much and I love hearing what you have to say. Hope you enjoy this next chapter! **

xxxxx

Kori and I remained in the same spot on the ground for quite a few minutes. None of the others moved for the fear of scaring Kori more than she already was. The air was still and cold. After a few moments I decided it would be best to get Kori out of here and into somewhere warm.

"Let's get her out of here." I said while the others silently nodded. Kori was still shaking in my arms but her cries became softer than before. She was in no shape to be walking, especially not in the dark. I stood up and picked her up bridal style and we all started walking towards the parking lot.

"Kori you should still try to eat a little something." Vic suggested to her as we arrived in front of the pizza place. She shook her head and a barely audible 'no' slipped out.

"Kori you have to." Vic said a little louder. She shook her head again.

"Damn it Kori! Why are you doing this? You're going to kill yourself, and if you don't I'm sure X will gladly see to it!" Vic shouted. Kori held on to me tighter.

"Vic she can't eat now she's too scared and upset, stop yelling at her! I'm sure she'll eat when she's feeling better and can keep it down." Rachel said while stepping in front of him. Victor just stared at Kori and shook his head.

"She's freezing. I'm going to put her in my car and turn the heat on." I told all of them as I walked to my car.

"Man, what do we do? She can't be alone anymore. And she shouldn't go back to her apartment tonight; he could be waiting there for her." Victor said as he followed me. He was right.

"It's…it's okay…I'm fine." Stuttered Kori. I opened my car door and placed her on the seat.

"Sh. Don't you worry about anything, we'll figure it out." I reassured her as I started the car and put the heat on full blast. I smiled at her and shut the car door. I turned and walked towards Vic.

"Where'd the other two go?" I asked once I noticed Gar and Rachel had left.

"Home I guess. Seriously man where are we going to put her? She can't go back there. I can almost guarantee he's there waiting for her." He said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"I can take her to my place. She can stay in the guest room." I suggested.

"Oh, you'd love that wouldn't you boy blunder? You better watch your step. She's been hurt too many times and I don't think I'll be able to control myself if you hurt her." He said while raising his voice.

"Whoa, chill out man! It's way too soon for any of that. She needs a friend and that's what I'm going to be for her until she wants something more." I told him while backing up.

"Since we really don't have any other choice I guess we'll have to go with it. If she's not comfortable staying with you just call me man and she can stay with me. I'm sure Karen wouldn't mind." Vic told me while walking to his car.

I didn't even think of that. Would Kori be freaked out when I told her she's coming home with me? I guess it was time to find out. I said my goodbyes to Vic and walked back to my car. Before hopping in, I took a deep breath.

"Warm enough?" I asked her as I started to back up the car. She nodded her head at me as she stared out the window.

"Thank you…for saving me. And I'll pay you back, I promise!" Kori whispered.

"You can pay me back by staying off that crap." I told her as I looked straight ahead. She remained silent.

"I can't believe I let this happened. I'm so embarrassed." She said.

"Kori relax. It's not like what you did is unforgivable. I know you don't care about yourself enough to save yourself, but you have people that do care about you. Maybe it isn't an idea you're used to, but it's the truth. You aren't just hurting yourself Kor, you're hurting me and the others." I told her. I suddenly felt like a parent lecturing a headstrong teenager, but I didn't really care. I had to get through to her somehow.

"Are you taking me back to my apartment?" She asked carefully.

"Just to get some of your stuff, it's not safe for you to stay there after what just happened. Then you're coming back to my house." I told her the plan.

"Richard! I couldn't ask you to do that for me. You've already done more than enough." She exclaimed.

"Well, you didn't ask. I offered. And I will not take no as an answer. You'll be perfectly safe at my place. You don't belong here Kori." I told her.

"You know, you don't have to do this." She stated.

"I want to Kori." I responded. For a few minutes neither of us spoke.

"There's something between us." She stated bluntly.

"…the gear shift?" I asked wondering what this had anything to do with what we were discussing. I heard Kori break into a beautiful fit of laughter.

"No you moron! I meant like a spark. Or a connection or something. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I know you know something's there."

Shit. She's on to you Rich. What do I say?

"That's…that's not why I'm doing this." I spat out while clearing my throat.

"I know." She whispered. I had to change the subject quickly before this went any further and Vic killed me.

"How long? How long have you been doing this?" I asked. I didn't expect an answer right away, but instead she answered me rather quickly.

"Almost two years." Holy shit. Now how am I supposed to stop an addiction that was two years old?

"Did X get you started?" I asked nervously.

"He did…" She said silently.

"Why did you let this happen Kori?"

"You wouldn't understand." She said as her voice cracked.

"I can try."

"I was still living on the streets at that point. X was a regular at my job. He seemed friendly. He knew I didn't have anywhere to live so he made me an offer to move in with him. I didn't think anything of it then; I was desperate for a place to live. I was in such a deep rut and he influenced me so easily." She started her story.

I knew she wasn't finished so I let her finish.

"There's just so many things I don't want to feel. This…this is the only escape I could think of."

Now more than ever I wanted to just hold her. Protect her from anything bad ever happening to her ever again. How many scars did she have on her heart?

"Then I found out he was cheating on me so I left him two months ago. He's threatened me and hurt me before. I've been trying to avoid him to prevent anything from happening again." I could tell she was crying.

"So he's just mad you left him?" I asked.

"Yes."

"You're not going back to him." Shit. That was supposed to come out as a question.

"I wouldn't want to." She answered. We reached her house and I took the first parking spot I found, which was just about half a block away.

"I could give you things he couldn't Kor." I told her almost in a whisper.

She turned to face me as I continued to speak.

"I could protect you. I wouldn't let anything you've been through happen to you again. I wouldn't desert you. I'd take care of you." In the matter of one second her face turned white as paper.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked her while grabbing her hand.

"X"

xxxxx

**So he's back sooner than you thought huh? Thanks for reading guys! Send those reviews in! They inspire me so much and I love hearing from you guys!**

**Poll:**

**What's going to happen with X there now?**

**How is Kori living with Richard going to work?**

**What is Victor going to think of all of this?**


	6. The Art of Hoping Hard

**Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter! I'm so glad I'm getting such positive feedback. This chapter is going to be a little shorter than the rest have been. Enjoy!**

**xxx**

"He's here? Where?" I asked her as I read the panic in her eyes.

"Duck!" Kori yelled as she pulled me down out of sight just as a car that looked like it came out of a junk yard drove past us. We stayed like that for a few minutes, neither of us saying a word and holding our breath. Suddenly she sat up, so I joined her.

"He broke in." She said as she jumped out of my car and started sprinting towards her apartment. I jumped out and began to chase after her.

"Didn't you lock the door?" I panted as I chased her down the sidewalk.

"Richard all you have to do is knock on my door and it falls down! I don't know why I even carry around a key!" She yelled back.

I caught up to her just as she reached her apartment. Together, we climbed up the cement stairs to her apartment. We walked to her door that we found flat on the floor. We stepped in and looked around at the empty apartment left with broken furniture and windows. Everything else seemed to be gone.

"He…took…everything…" Kori whispered in a low voice. I walked over to her and wrapped her up in my arms.

"Kori none of that matters. If you were here he would have taken your life." I told her.

"Richard I have nothing now. My clothes are even gone!" She said. I looked through her drawers to confirm her fears. All that remained was a single razor blade. What was this doing in here? She doesn't…does she? I turned to face her just as she raised her hand and punched her fist into the wall. Instantaneously after, she screamed out in pain.

"KORI!" I yelled as I rushed to her to examine her hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I…I just got so mad…" She cried. Her hand was swollen and red enough to see in the moonlight.

"It's alright. Calm down. We just need to put some ice on it. We'll get you some at my place." I told her. I lightly grazed her hand and she winced in pain.

"I'm sorry. Let's go." I told her as I grabbed onto her opposite hand.

"Wait." She said as she remained frozen in the same spot.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"Richard the paparazzi is going to find out I'm living with you, then you're really done for! What's Bruce Wayne going to think? He's your father right?" She asked me with a sense of concern.

"Adopted. And I don't care Kori. I really don't. I refuse to live by Bruce's or the paparazzi's standards. You'll stay in my guest room and tomorrow we'll get you new clothes." I told her as I pulled her out of the rundown apartment.

"I don't get paid until Friday." She told me. I laughed.

"Who said you were paying?" I asked her as we ventured down the stairs.

"Richard! You can't do this. You can't and I won't let you. You're doing way too much for me." She said.

"Kori, not to sound like an asshole, but I have so much money I don't know what to do with it. It'd be nice to spend some of it on someone I care about." I told her. We were quiet until we reached my car.

"You're really going to do this aren't you?" Kori asked.

"Yup, now get in the car my lady." I responded as I opened the car door for her while she giggled.

On the car ride home I made multiple attempts to take a look at her wrists but they were covered by her coat. I'd just have to catch her off guard. How many problems does this girl have?

xxx

**Sorry this is so short! I just wanted to get an update out there before my life gets a little hectic! I leave for Florida tomorrow morning, when I get back I'll be at a friend's for a week or so and then I'll be getting ready for my first semester of college. Also I was thinking of adding a playlist for this story and sharing it with you guys!**

**POLL:**

**Would you like a playlist for this story?**

**Is Richard still in over his head or does he really know what he's getting into?**

**Does Kori self harm?**


	7. Only Place I Call Home

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry this update took so long! I was on vacation, and then my computer broke and was in repairs for two weeks. I hope this update makes up for the long wait!**

**A few of you said yes to the playlist idea so I've decided that I would go along with the idea.**

**Song: Only Place I Call Home by Every Avenue**

**xxxxxx**

_I'll never forget the day I brought Kori home. I'd never felt so many things all at once. Happy, nervous, excited, and confused as to how it would work. It worked for quite some time. Much longer than everyone had thought it would. But not long enough, not for me. At that point, I had already known that I loved Kori, but I didn't dare say it aloud._

After nearly 30 minutes of driving we finally reached my house. I drove up to the gate, rolled down my window and punched in the pass code to the security system. The gate opened and I heard a gasp escape from Kori's lips which she covered with her hands.

"This is your house?" She exclaimed with wide eyes.

"No this is the super market." I answered sarcastically with a smile on my face.

"You live here?" She once again exclaimed.

"Yes Kori, and now you do to." I told her. I loved the thought of her living here. Somewhere I knew there was no chance of her getting hurt. Somewhere that I could protect her.

"No way, I'm not good enough for this place." She responded to my comment while shaking her head.

"Kori it's a house." I said.

"It's a freaking castle!" She almost shouted.

"If you want it to be a castle, then I guess it's a castle." I said while the garage door opened and I parked my car in its usual spot.

"Richard this is insane." Kori whispered.

"Well then prepare yourself for something you'll think is even more insane." I warned her.

"What?" She asked with curiosity wandering through her voice.

"Tomorrow we're going shopping. I'll invite Rachael so you two can buy clothes considering all of yours were stolen. My treat." I said while flashing her a million dollar smile. She stayed quiet and just stared at me. I opened my car door and walked over to her side to help her out of her seat.

"Well how insane do you think that is compared to the castle?" I asked while chuckling at her speechlessness.

"I don't know, they're both on equal levels of insanity. Richard you CAN'T do that. Once I get paid I'll buy my own clothes. And I'll have to pay you some form of rent." She babbled on as I led her to the entrance to my house. Oh wait, castle. Sorry!

"Yes I can do that, yes I will do that, no you won't pay me rent. Oh and you're going to need to quit that job of yours." I told her matter-of-factly.

"Richard! How am I supposed to make money?" She shouted. I put the key in the door and opened it.

"We'll find you a job that doesn't include taking your clothes off in the job description." I winked at her and she giggled. We stepped into my house and Kori's jaw dropped.

"Marble floor? You even have a chandelier!"She said with animation in her voice.

"Yeah, it's a little too much for me." I said suddenly embarrassed of everything I've been blessed with.

"Richard it's beautiful." Kori said as she turned to face me.

"Let me show you to your room. I'm sure you're exhausted after tonight's episode." I said as I grabbed her hand and began to lead her up the winding staircase.

"I get my own room?" She gasped.

"Nope you get to sleep in the bathtub." I answered her with sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Richard!" She said while slapping my arm. In unison, we busted into a fit of laughter.

"I'm kidding, of course you get your own room." I said once I could breathe again.

"Richard why are you doing all of this for me?" She asked as I led her down the seemingly never-ending hallway.

"What?" I asked.

"What's the catch?" She asked in different words.

"There is no catch." I said simply.

"Every time someone does something nice for me there's a catch. Am I going to get hurt?" She asked quietly while taking her hand from mine.

"Kori I would never hurt you. I couldn't live with myself if I did anything remotely close to hurting you. I'm helping you because I want to. I've known you for only a few weeks and I've seen you get hurt too many times. I can help you get back on your feet. I can show you what it's like to have someone not turn their back on you when you need them most. I can do things for you X can't…This is your home now." I told her as I inched closer to her face. Before she knew it my lips came crashing down on hers.

_That kiss…I can still feel it on my lips…_

**xxxxxx**

**Well well well! Victor is going to be thrilled when he finds out about this! Hope you guys enjoyed it **

**POLL:**

**What is Kori's reaction to the kiss?**

**Is Kori going to get the help she needs?**

**What do you want to see happen next?**


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